I have never had any previous martial arts training before, can I still join?

Of course! Many of our current members have had little to no previous experience before coming to us. We offer a safe, friendly environment for martial arts first timers to train alongside other beginners or with our experienced members. A team atmosphere is what we try to instill in our members. By helping one another excel, we build a stronger team with more training partners to help us succeed.

What styles of martial arts/combative sports do you teach?

We teach four styles of martial arts/combative sports at our academy:

Gracie Jiu Jitsu

Karate

Kickboxing

Judo

What credentials do the instructors have?

All of the instructors at our academy have extensive training and competitive backgrounds ranging from 10 years to over 40 years experience. Our Karate instructors all hold black belts in Karate, our Gracie Jiu Jitsu instructors all hold official rank under Shane Rice who is a Rickson Gracie black belt, our Judo coach holds a black belt recognized by Judo Canada and the Kodokan in Japan and our kickboxing instructors all have coaching certification from Kickboxing Canada. All of our instructors come from competitive backgrounds in their respective disciplines, have first aid training, code of conduct background checks and hold coaching certifications.

How much is a membership?

We offer membership packages which are both affordable and competitive with other martial arts gyms in the area. You can email, call or come in to the academy to discuss membership packages that fit your time and budget or check out our Pricing section under the About Us heading.

Do I need a uniform or any other equipment to start training?

You are not required to purchase any equipment on your first day at the academy. Jiu Jitsu and Karate students can wear something comfortable for exercise in lieu of a uniform, while kickboxers can borrow gloves from the club stock. Once a prospective member chooses to stay with a program, they are required to have a uniform for Gracie Jiu Jitsu or Karate and gloves, shinguards and handwraps for recreational Kickboxing. Competitive Kickboxing members are also required to have a mouthguard, athletic support and headgear as they are absolutely necessary for safe training.

How do I get started?

Drop by to speak to a member of our professional staff about our programs and membership packages during scheduled class times.

Once you have chosen a program, you can walk right on to the mat and begin training with the group.

Do you have a competition team?

Yes! Competition is not a requirement in any of our programs, but yes, we have a very active and well established competition team. We use competition to further develop the skill level of our students. Our primary focus is to make our students the absolute best that they can be and competition is a great way for a lot of people to reach the next level. Our quest for excellence has brought our competition team to five different continents and all academy members are welcome to join us when we travel or to try out for the team and compete themselves.

Are there age restrictions?

Yes, there are age restrictions for our Kid’s programs. The youngest that we take children for our Super Start Martial Arts program is 4 years old. Please see the program description for any and all age restrictions for kids programs. We have no age limit for the adults.

I have a belt rank from another martial art, can I still wear it when I train with you?

Belt colours from other martial arts systems do not usually cross over. We mean no disrespect to your accomplishments but we have a strict ranking system in our Gracie Jiu Jitsu and Karate programs that have been developed for a reason. For example, a red belt in Tae Kwon Do is the rank just before black belt, while, in Gracie Jiu Jitsu, red belt is the highest rank that there is and takes well over 40 years to achieve.

What is the difference in your kickboxing program and the fitness kickboxing class at my local fitness club?

Our kickboxing program is competitive based and functional for self defense and the competition arena. It is the combination of three specific combat sports: boxing, karate and muay thai whereas, fitness kickboxing classes found at health clubs are aerobics classes with a martial arts theme. In fitness kickboxing classes, participants are focused on breaking a sweat. In our kickboxing program participants are pushed to be at the physical, mental and technical level they would need to enter the competition ring. Whether you wish to train with us recreationally or competitively, you will get the same real kickboxing training and all the benefits that come with it, not the watered down aerobic version.

How does the belt ranking system work in Gracie Jiu Jitsu?

The belt system for Gracie Jiu Jitsu is based around seven colored belts for adults with three additional belts for kids under the age of sixteen. The belts for kids are white, yellow, orange and green – green being the highest rank that a person under the age of sixteen can hold. After a kid turns sixteen, the adult ranking system opens up to them which includes blue, purple, brown, black and the master ranks of red/black and red. A typical progression from belt to belt is 1-2 years from white to blue (or yellow for kids) and 3-5 years between each additional belt excluding the master ranks. We also use a four stripe system to mark the time spent at each belt before black belt.